Words & Wanderings #10, The Hidden Chapter, Fort Thomas, Kentucky

It’s been a bit since I added to this series, but we were on the road again recently, traversing Kentucky and Ohio, and after watching this viral video, I made a point of experiencing this unique bookstore for myself. The Hidden Chapter is also a coffee shop and bar.

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, the shop was bustling with friends catching up over lattes, a couple sitting side by side on a comfy couch, each reading silently, a dad treating his daughter to hot chocolate and a muffin, and a dozen or so patrons perusing shelves and shelves of gently used and new books.

The shop décor creates a part-fantasy, part-dark academia with a tad of Grandma’s house vibe. Period furniture invites guests to sit awhile with a favorite beverage, a good book, or a blank journal awaiting musings.

The café and bar are connected to the bookshop through a delightful passageway. Use your imagination and you might feel like a main character in a historical fiction novel. The shop could easily be the setting for the next big bestseller, in case you need a writing prompt.

Located on N. Fort Thomas Ave. in Fort Thomas, Kentucky (a darling suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio), the café and bar boast surprisingly large varieties of menu selections. Specialty drinks at the café include Elphie & Glinda (strawberry & matcha), Faelight & Fog (ube matcha), Pride & Pollen (lavender & honey oat milk latte) and Sip Happens (drip coffee with espresso)

Dave Mulcahy and his wife Lacey opened the shop in 2023 with the goal of creating a community gathering place. They build friendships with their clients and liken their business model to the long-running TV show Cheers (1982 - 1993). Where everybody knows your name. They open the doors early and close up shop late, 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 7:00 – 7:00 most other days (Sunday 7-6, closed Mondays). They stock a diverse collection of books, each carefully curated. They host numerous events – book clubs, poetry readings, author book signings, movie and open mic nights, Dungeons & Dragons events, etc . . . The key to their success, says Dave, is their focus on relationships and the local community.